InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Tomaru's Story 2: Prejudice ❯ Chapter 13

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Dragonfly: See? Everyone thinks the ears are cute…
 
Tomaru: -scowling- Don't care… I don't want anyone touching them…
 
Dragonfly: -smirk- Except Haruko…
 
Tomaru: -flush- I didn't say that…
 
Dragonfly: -points- Your blush says it for you.
 
Tomaru: -haughty- This Tomaru does not blush.
 
Keiji: -points as well- Like hell, dog-breath.
 
Tomaru: Oi! Don't you have anything better to do?
 
Keiji- Like swoop in and take Haruko while you're messing around 500 years in the future?
 
Tomaru: -furious- Don't you even THINK about it, wolf-crap.
 
Keiji: -seductively kisses Haruko's hand- What can YOU do? You're not even in the same time line anymore…
 
Tomaru: -hand on Tetsusaiga's hilt- Get… your… lips… off… MY… Haruko…
 
Keiji: -still holding Haruko's hand- Do keep an eye out for our descendants while you're 500 years in the future, will you?
 
Tomaru: -finally pulls out Tetsusaiga, growling- Can I kill him, Amber? Please?
 
Dragonfly: Not yet. Put that away. We have a story to write. Sorry it's been so long!!! -bows humbly- Homework and job work are killing me and my muses… And I have a surprise in the making for Warm-Ice-sama! Oooooooo, I can't wait until it's finished!!!
 
Chapter 13
 
“I cannot lose you, Kagome,” Sesshoumaru finally admitted. “Do not risk this. Onegai…”
 
Kagome sat there, torn, between staying with the man and children she loved more than anything, and the chance at seeing her family again- and finding her first-born son. What am I to do?
 
“Sesshoumaru,” she whispered, reaching out a hand to touch him, to caress the pale, smooth skin that still fascinated her to this day…
 
A large boulder flew out from the nearby woods, nearly hitting the tai-youkai in the shoulder. Swift as a blink, he dodged, his amber gaze seeking the source of the rock. His eyes narrowed slightly as he saw Haruko moving aside quickly, trying to attract the attacks to go after her instead of him and Kagome. He took note of her bravery- he knew her magic was not effective if it were the same rock youkai from before.
 
Crrraaack! Kagome's eyes flew open as the edge of the well broke off, the ancient wood splintering underneath her as a result of the rock missing Sesshoumaru- and having hit the well instead.
 
Sesshoumaru's eyes flew wide in something akin to horror although his face outwardly showed no change. He reached out with his hand as fast as he could, attempting to grasp his mate's arm and prevent her fall into the well.
 
Kagome's hand slipped through his and she fell into the inky depths.
 
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“I should try to get back,” Tomaru apologized to his grandmother and uncle, bowing slightly as he stood outside the well-house, dressed in a clean red shirt and some odd, loose-fitting pants his grandmother referred to as “yoga,” as his silk haori and hakama had been washed, folded, and lovingly packed inside the massively over-packed backpack on the ground next to him- thanks to his grandmother. “I have responsibilities in my own time that I must attend to.”
 
Kagome's mother chuckled, her heart much eased by her grandson's appearance. “So serious,” she smiled. “You certainly didn't get that from your mother!”
 
Tomaru gave her a soft smile. “Indeed not. I get my temper from her, or so Father says.”
 
Souta actually snorted in laughter. “He's got her pegged, all right.”
 
The hanyou bowed again. “Thank you again for everything. It was… quite an experience.”
 
His grandmother rolled her eyes good-naturedly as Tomaru picked up the over-stuffed bag, turned, and descended the steps to where the well was. “He's telling us?”
 
A flash of soft pink light indicated that, once again, the well had opened its path through time.
 
“I wonder,” Souta mused.
 
“Wonder what?” his mother replied, walking beside him back toward the house.
 
“I wonder what's bothering him- there was something in his eyes...”
 
The older woman sighed, smiling. “I'm afraid we'll never know, Souta,” she pointed out, putting an arm around her son. “We may not ever see him again.”
 
----------------------------
 
Tomaru “swum” through the time swirl, the giant bag slung over his shoulder as if it weren't even there. Amazing… I wouldn't have thought that would've worked again…
 
I used to do this all the time, pup. With your mother…
 
Don't start that crap again. It's really weird having not only your uncle inside your head all the time, but knowing he was once in love with your mother?
 
Inuyasha snorted. I may have loved her, pup, but it wasn't like that. No one seems to realize that…
 
Tomaru landed on the hard-packed ground of the well and looked up just in time to see a falling figure heading toward him, shrieking in surprise.
 
Without thinking, he caught the figure- and blinked several times as he realized it was his mother.
 
Kagome shook her head slightly- as if reorganizing her thoughts- as she realized she hadn't landed on her rump on the bottom of the well- nor had she gone through the portal. She looked up, took in the hanyou wearing a red shirt and blinking golden eyes in surprise and she audibly gasped. “Inuyasha?
 
Tomaru opened his mouth, but much to his surprise, his own voice didn't come out- instead, he heard a gruffer, deeper voice snort out “Kami, wench, why am I still always saving your ass?”
 
Tomaru mentally started. How the hell did you do that, old man?
 
Not sure- but you have to admit, I'm right.
 
Kagome, mentally knocked some twenty years into the past, held her head in confusion. “I'm dreaming… I'm delusional… I'm going freaking nuts…” she muttered over and over.
 
No kidding- I'm living there, Tomaru sulked in the corner of his own mind.
 
Can we just get out of here? I smell that damn rock youkai again, not to mention Sesshoumaru and Haruko.
 
Tomaru blinked and looked up as his mother continued to mumble to herself. H-Haruko? He sniffed. It was! Haruko was here? But why? Why didn't she stay at his parents' castle where it was safe?
 
Get your ass up there and save your mate, whelp!
 
Without bothering to correct his youkai on the correct term regarding Haruko, Tomaru leapt out of the well, his mother still in his arms. When he landed on the soft grass next to the well, both Sesshoumaru and Haruko whirled on him in surprise without leaving an opening for the growling rock youkai.
 
“Tomaru,” Sesshoumaru murmured, a hint of surprise in his regal tone. His golden eyes flickered to the somewhat-baffled female in his son's arms. His eyes visibly softened- almost as if in relief. “Kagome…”
 
Haruko made a move as if she were going to move over to her betrothed's side, only to have the rock youkai track her movements closely, snarling and moving to intercept her. Her sapphire gaze went back to the creature, wary as ever. She was at a disadvantage here, but she didn't want the Inu no Taishou to know that and deem her unworthy as Tomaru's mate…
 
Oh, HO… so you finally admit you want to be that sexy dog's bitch, huh?
 
Don't start, Haruko admonished her inner youkai as she glared at her rocky opponent. We have enough problems.
 
I have an idea.
 
Mentally nodding at her youkai's suggestion, Haruko took up a bold stance, her legs braced wide and her hands brought up in front of her, creating a seal with her hands: her index and middle fingers upright and pressed together with her ring and pinky fingers clasped together, her thumbs touching and pointing up towards her chin. “Bakufu!” she hissed, narrowing her eyes as her body began to glow a pale blue.
 
A dull roar began from over her head, causing the rock youkai to pause and glance upward as the sound quickly became deafening. The creature's beady eyes widened in horror as a huge wall of water crashed down, seemingly from nowhere, upon it. It howled briefly before the water silenced it, leaving only the rush of water as it swept into the forest and thinned out, hydrating the greenery in its wake.
 
The rock youkai remained- incredibly weakened by the water, but still a threat. It raised its head and growled at Haruko, who hadn't moved from her stance even though the blue glow around her body had faded. Trickles of sweat slid down her temples, proof of her exertion in summoning the waterfall.
 
Abruptly Tomaru appeared between her and the rock youkai, clad in some exceedingly strange clothing, the fang-sword ready in his hands. He flicked his goldenrod eyes back at her. “You have done your part,” he murmured back to her, “but I will finish this.”
 
“Tomaru,” she said, her face betraying none of the turmoil swirling inside her, yet her eyes showed more than a trace of concern- and elation at seeing him again, safe.
 
He turned his attention back to the weakened youkai and narrowed his eyes at the beast. “Just stand back and let me protect you,” he told her.
 
Her heart leapt into her throat. When it finally returned to its normal place, it began beating loudly, rapidly. She took a single step backward, her sapphire eyes locked on the handsome (if strangely dressed) hanyou standing between her and the rock youkai.
 
Sesshoumaru had taken his somewhat frazzled mate in his arms and was watching his son with absolutely no expression on his face, yet his eyes were filled with expectation. Do it, son… prove your heritage…
 
The rock youkai snarled and hurled a youki blast at the unwavering hanyou. Tomaru lifted the Tetsusaiga, his whole demeanor outwardly calm as he sought just the right moment…
 
Bakuryuuha!”
 
The Inu no Taishou of the Western Lands watched in fatherly pride and approval as the technique swirled and whirled around the rock youkai, slicing the creature into pathetic little chunks. Haruko's eyes were wide with complete and utter surprise, even though her face remained amazingly blank.
 
For a long moment, the only sounds that could be heard were the thunking of various parts of the rock youkai as they hit the ground. Tomaru slowly turned around and faced Haruko, who was staring at him as if she had never seen him before. He took one step towards her, his goldenrod eyes blazing into her sapphire ones…
 
“Kami, Tomaru- what in the world are you wearing?”
 
Tomaru and Haruko both turned their heads toward Kagome, who was finally coherent enough to figure out what was going on- and that the immediate threat was gone.
 
Tomaru rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “I am not sure of it myself,” he admitted, “but it is Uncle Souta's clothing. He termed them a t-shirt and something called `yoga' pants.”
 
Kagome flew at her son and wrapped her arms around his waist in a motherly-but-exasperated embrace. “I know that, you baka!” she sobbed, wishing he wasn't so tall. Then she paused, mid-sob. She pulled back and looked up at him. “You… met… my brother?”
 
He nodded. “And Grandmother, as well. It was an… unusual… experience.”
 
Kagome gave a gasp that was part shock, part excitement. Immediately she launched into a torrent of questions, most of which Tomaru could only barely answer. Sesshoumaru turned his attention away from his mate and son and walked silently over to Haruko, who appeared to be extremely neutral about the situation. He knew from personal experience that she was putting up a front and that more than likely, she was rather overwhelmed and more than confused.
 
“That was an intelligent attack,” he said, as if it really wasn't that interesting. “Rock youkai are resistant to all elemental attacks- except water. Clever of you to remember that.”
 
Haruko blushed slightly as she bowed her head. “A-arigatou, Lord Sesshoumaru. It was not enough to defeat it, however.”
 
“That does not signify,” he replied, a very slight bite in his tone. “You weakened it considerably. With more training, you would have been able to destroy it easily.” His eyes regarded her, weighing her, measuring her. After a moment, they softened. “This Sesshoumaru is pleased.”
 
Haruko looked up in surprise. “You are?” escaped before she even realized it.
 
“Indeed. You will be a fine mate for Tomaru- and future Lady of both the Western Lands and the Northern Lands.”
 
Stop right there!” a new voice called out, causing the four people near the well to turn towards the nearby woods. A figure stood on a branch, glaring down at them from the shadows.
 
Tomaru's hand was on the hilt of Tetsusaiga in half a second. Sesshoumaru merely regarded the intruder as if bored.
 
“Damn youkai,” the person hissed, lifted some sort of weapon in preparation for some sort of attack. “Can't you leave our village alone?”
 
“We are not here to attack your village,” Tomaru pointed out, his hand still resting on Tetsusaiga's hilt. “We mean you no harm, unless you seek to harm us first.”
 
“Liar,” came the deadly-serious response. “You are youkai. You have weapons. What is there to stop you from attacking our village again and wiping us out?”
 
Kagome took a tentative step forward, her eyes squinted at the shadowy figure. That voice… No. Impossible. Yet… “Miroku?”
 
The person dropped from the trees to land on the grass just on the edge of the clearing around the well. He walked forward, a huge boomerang balanced in one hand. He was clothed in a black bodysuit covered with indigo armor and his brown hair was pulled back in a high ponytail. Violet eyes met Kagome's from above a silver exterminator's mask. He removed it and regarded the former miko suspiciously.
 
“How do you know my father?”